India's Samaresh Jung failed to add a record-equalling sixth gold medal at the 18th Commonwealth Games when he finished ninth in the men's 25m standard pistol competition in Melbourne on Saturday.

Jung's dream of matching Games record of lay in tatters after a malfunctioning pistol put paid to his hopes in the 25m standard fire pistol event.

Jung, who was aiming to clinch his sixth gold at the 18th edition of the quadrennial event, ended up a dismal ninthafter tallying 551 points (194+179+178).

The gold went to Englishman Mick Gault who pipped Irshad Ali of Pakistan in a shoot-off after the two were tied for the first place on 568 points.

The bronze medal went to Bruce Quick of Australia who scored 562 while another Indian in the fray, Ronak Pandit, ended sixth with 557.

Jung was the leading Indian medal winner with five gold, a silver and a bronze.

The record for most medals in a single Commonwealth Games stand at six by Australian swimmers Ian Thorpe and Susie O'Neil.

The 35-year old Indian, who had missed out on the gold in the 25m centre fire pistol in a shoot-off yesterday, said the problem with his equipment surfaced during training yesterday itself.

"I had this problem in my training yesterday. I had it overhauled and then used it. But this morning in the very second shot it started giving problem. It did not fire at all on seven occasions," the CISF Inspector from Delhi said.

"I did what I could. I opened it and cleaned it again. I do not carry two guns, I think I need to carry eight guns for every tournament," he said.